THEATRE ROYAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 3283, 6 April 1885, Page 3

THEATRE ROYAL.

" THE SILVEB KING."

> On Saturday evening " The Silver King " I company made their first appearance m 1 Timaru to a large audience. , The opening L piece was Messrs Jones .and .Herman's drama ' " The Silver King," which was played by this V company for the first time m the colony at ' Dunedin about the middle of last month. > The immense success it aohieved m the ' Southern city arid the profound feeling it > created, are known all over this Island, and i. the opinion of these who saw it piaved here i on Saturday evening is that the statements 3 made about this grand drama are not one ■ whit exaggerated. " The Silver King " may - be classed m the same list of dramas as t "Youth "and " The Lights o' London," but • it is much superior m construction to I either of these plays. " The Bilver King " company is a very large one, and i Messrs Macmahon and Leitch deserve every \ credit and the support of all lovers of the J drama for so kindly playing a few days m i" Timaru. In our issue of Tuesday last we I published the Story of this drama, and from - it our readers would see that it is a most , thrilling one, and brimful of incident. The »■ part of Wilfred Denver was taken by Mr F. 1 C. Appleton, who m the opening scene is 1 shown m a room of the Wheatsheaf Inn, - ;very much intoxica'ed and fairly maddened 9 with his losses upon the Derby. This scene I is a most lively one, and serves to introduce b many of the dramatis persona. It is at this i inn Denver is stung by the remarks of. - Geoffrey Ware. The scene showing the in--5 terior of Geoffrey Ware's chamber, the I burglars at work, the murder, and finally s Denver's remorse at- what he 'supposed • was his own action, namely, the r murder of Ware,- was intensely rec alifltic. It was strange m fact how soon ■ Denver had gained the sympathies of the ' audience and how closely they followed him i m his many troubles and trials until he stood > m. his garden at the Grange once more ■ happily united to his loving Nellie and their ■ children. Mr Appleton's acting throughout I was faultless ; the intense feeling he showed E after the murder ; his impatience to elude : the officers of justice, and the fondness he i: displayed for his child on returning from i the silver mines, and also for his family , at . the re-union, were striking phases m i the piece, and served to show that Mr i Appleton is an ornament to his proi fe-sion. As his wife, Nellie Denver, i Miss Maggie Knight, was equally successful, . and was 'also most feelingly followed by her r audience. In the scene where Denvor comes home after the murder, she showed > herself to be a most faithful, loving wife, and a true woman when she planned' her husband's escapfrand disguise. When m extreme ; poverty she 'shows her intense . love for the little ones, her pourtrayal of the character is I so natural as to arouse the tonderest feelings ■ of every man and woman. As Jaikes, the i .Denrers' faithful old servant, -Mr George i. Leitch -was simply inimitable, and was the ; 'same m prosperity and adversity. The i character is at times a difficult one, but Mr I Leitch played carefully and well. Mr H. R. i Jewett as Captain Herbert Skinner, the i " Bpider," was also very good, and to the last i preserved his cool demeanor. Having a fine : stage appearance Mr Jewett looked the aristol cratic burglar and murderer to the life, and ) also exeouted his deeds m such a delicate style : as to call forth muoh admiration. Petite i Miss Edith Appleton as Cissy Denver, I played very neatly and^ childlike,, and li will we hope some day be able to take a more ; leading part. Miss Kate Douglas as Olive ■ Skinner ; Mr Thompson as Geoffrey Ware ; Bilver,.K{ng ; ; (: so^notoe^^j^jn}aOT o ,of four ■ principal dramas. The. audience on Saturday cajletim-cire t&n'oriije'tnef^uVßr^gin^* his" faithful consort, and.Qiisy, and at the conclu- . sion ; of jjh? drama most vociferously demanded that" ■; the' 1 curtain should 'be raised so that thoy^'mKht have a hwt'look : on'.tne;fabiily ' so habpijy . reunited. It is almost impossible ; to state eia&tlythe mahy^arieiiita.gf." feeling i caused to the audience..' .THere .are the ihost' thrilling situatwnft,, apd ' again the .most i ludicrous; ' irtfee, ! the : 'lateet-, -OT "cqnne\ cproi vocative A(sfeVmbqh?::amU6emefiflVj while; the 1 beautiful scenery, the like 6i iWhieh has never i before been seen, srgre.^grand! Stage appoints. ■ mente • a^d^^e^e^- pr^liiestra Taiot a ■ thing v)' be desured. M .eyening."i rt The . Silver, Kir^g." wiUjbe repeated, an dr we remind . our reyd'er|^that'.the. curtain !w^ll be-raised [ punctually afrW f^narte^t6> eight/. , r' 7^